UP to 200 members may turn out for a crucial meeting to decide the future of Blakeborough Sports and Social Club.

The Brighouse club, known as ‘Blakes’, has been riven for years after its committee proposed selling off the separate bowling club so its debts could be paid off.

The battle led to a thumping court victory for former subscriptions secretary, Andy Taylor, and his supporters over his arch foe, bowling fan Andy Speechley and others.

Mr Taylor successfully re-opened the Bradford Road club recently, after it had been shut for more than 18 months.

But he was also behind a controversial decision to close the bowling club when its members refused to co-operate in handing over documents which referred to the running of it for the period when it was independent of the main club.

This was widely seen as teaching its members a harsh and painful lesson.

Now the plans to sell the bowling club face a fresh and potentially fatal challenge led by a high-powered team of former detective inspector Robert Armstead and Bailiff Bridge businessman Colin Gordon.

The two men, who have received specialist legal advice, are increasingly confident that their planned special general meeting on February 22 will provide a mandate for a massive U-turn that will halt the proposed sale of the Albion club and change the whole tenor of the power struggle.

They say the bowling club has a history dating back 136 years and has been a haven for families going back generations.

Mr Gordon, said one possibility would be for the two clubs to be formally separated and exist individually.

He said: “Any sale of the bowling club will not in any way improve the financial problems being experienced by the main club. Working together with a new outlook there is a chance.

“We do not think anyone is relishing this situation. It is taking its toll.

“However, it has to be sorted once and for all and it will be up to the members to make these decisions.”

But Mr Taylor, who is a major benefactor of the main club, said he had no intention of throwing in the towel.

He said: “If they want a fight, then bring it on.

“What they are trying to achieve is gaining power through the back door. There was a mandate by the membership from 260 members to sell and we slaughtered them in the courts.

“The main club has re-opened, it is doing very well and this weekend people can renew their membership or apply to be members. We are hoping to hold an AGM on (Saturday) March 23.”